Japanese developers pick Persona 5 over Pokémon GO as their favorite game of 2016

Yup, Japan got to play Persona 5 this year with a release way back in September, and its game developers also think it’s the best game of the year. 140 developers from around the country recently contributed to an annual poll hosted by 4Gamer, and Atlus’ latest topped the charts above the rest of the heavy hitters.

Persona 5 was able to land 21 votes total, beating out the second place winner, Pokémon GO, by a single vote. Coming in third and not far behind is Final Fantasy XV will 17 votes. The three finished as the clear favorites with the rest not even able to pick up double digits.

• Persona 5 (PS4/PS3): 21
• Pokémon GO (Android/iOS): 20
• Final Fantasy XV (PS4/Xbox One): 17
• The Last Guardian (PS4): 8
• Inside (PS4/Xbox One/PC): 7
• Overwatch (PC/PS4/Xbox One): 5
• Summer Lesson (PS4): 4
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4): 3
• Dragon Quest Builders (PS4/PS3/PSVita): 3
• Shadowverse (iOS/Android): 3
• Pokémon Sun & Moon (3DS): 3
• Clash Royale (iOS/Android): 3
• PlayStation VR (PS4): 3
• Coven and Labyrinth of Refrain (PS Vita): 2
• Broforce (PS4/PC): 2
• Battlefield 1 (PC/PS4/Xbox One): 2
• Life is Strange (PC/PS4/PS3/Xbox One/Xbox 360): 2
• Titanfall 2 (PC/PS4/Xbox One): 2
• Zero Time Dilemma (3DS/PS Vita/PC): 2
• REZ: Infinite (PS4): 2
• Monster Super League (Andoid/iOS): 1
• Buried Town (Android/iOS): 1
• The Tomorrow Children (PS4): 1
• Senkan Teikoku (Andoid/iOS): 1
• Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 (PS4/PS Vita): 1
• Five Nights at Freddy’s (PC/Android/iOS): 1
• League of Legends (PC): 1
• Seven Knights (iOS/Android): 1
• Yo-kai Watch 3 (3DS): 1
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links (iOS/Android): 1
• The Crew: Ultimate Edition (PC/PS4/Xbox One): 1
• Line Wobbler (iOS/Android): 1
• Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 (PC): 1
• Blossom Blast (iOS/Android): 1
• Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (PS4): 1
• Megami Meguri (3DS): 1
• The Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls – Starlight Stage (iOS/Android): 1
• Tales of Berseria (PS4/PS3): 1
• Kitchen (PS4): 1
• Undertale (PC): 1
• Neo ATLAS 1469 (PS Vita): 1
• Reigns (PC/iOS/Android): 1
• Nintendo NES Mini: 1
• Pavilion (PS4/PS Vita/PC): 1
• Quantum Break (Xbox One/PC): 1
• Arcade Archives: Darius (PS4): 1
• The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match Online (Android): 1
• Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (PS4/PS3/PS Vita): 1
• Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse (3DS): 1
• BlazBlue: Central Fiction (PS4/PS3): 1
• Shovel Knight (PC/PS4/Xbox One/Wii U/PS Vita/PS3/Xbox 360): 1

Persona 5 is not eligible for GotY consideration in North America until next year

While Japan votes, we wait. Persona 5 will not be released in North America until April 4, 2017. I’m somewhat grateful that Atlus delayed it beyond the reaches of Final Fantasy XV’s eligibility because I would hate to choose between the two.

If we’re going by brand name alone though, how could I choose against my beloved Final Fantasy? Only if it had a XIII in the title, I suppose.